Mr. Howard began, with a survey of the many spheres in which India and China lave touched each other, from the Buddhist missionaries who brought their religion to China to Major Gerrárd who carries the heavy duties of Commissioner of police in Shanghai; from Lord Macartney arguing the case of British trade with the Emperor Chien Lung, to Sir Richard Dane who built up China's Salt Gabelle.
He dwelt on India's sympathy with China in her present struggle with Japan, saying that this sympathy was pronounced, despite the fact that the Japanese Success in challenge ing Russia a generation ago gave a strong fillip to the cause of Indian nationalism. Amiable folk in Great Britain had deluded themselves with the thought that Japan was the stabilizing influence in the Far East agains Communism in China and, elsewhere. The fact was, of course, that Japan had set up the bogey of Communism to justly the unjust is able—her progressive encroachment on Chinese soil.
If China were Communistichlly inclined—the Left Wing are profoundly mistaken think that that possibility her alleged spiritual mate is ex tra ordinarily unhelpful, Mr. Howard continued. This is a quotation from a long private letter received by air-mail from Hankow and dated March 9:
"The Russians still stand off like any Imperialist. They will on ce in the can pay f do that. it all along Says sententiously à will not fight Japan unless Japan attacks Russian ter. ritory or forces." So the Communists boat pite that, however Japan-and Imperialiets are all the
ese still try to make the world believe that they are fighting Communism in India has firmly shown her sense of what Confucius described as the side of right. A curious Indian community in Osaka is frantically supporting Japan in the hame of anti-Imperialism. It has received a rebuff from Tagore. Japan's development of the pan-Asian doctrine has lost its attraction, for it is obvious that pan-Nipponism is the proper style. It is charitable to assume that Japan does not understand the new forces current in India. She certain-
This word of caution might be uttered: it is a mistake to underrate Japanese technical efficiency. It is aqualy wrong to imagine that the cheapness of Japanese goods is solely the outcome of the dumping process. The Japanese worker is not sweated or exposed to bad conditions in mill or factory. Rather the reverse. The standard of living is low, but that is because the workers' needs are modest and frugality is supported by a Spartan scale of necessaries.
Of the total imports into India from non-British countries Japan is responsible for one third, and of the total exports from India to countries in the same category Japan takes one fourth. There is obvious cause here for India to value her trade associations with Japan, and it is to be hoped that, as time passes and the asperities of the present malaise yield to remedial treatment, the solvent of commercial intercourse may have full scope.
If India were to view the present er is aright she might well be filled ith greater apprehension for Japan than for China. She might argue that in the effort to establish an Empire on Western lines, Japan has for the time being lost her bearings, has forgotten the unescapable truths which she, like, China and India, inherits from the wisdom of the Orient.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.